Leadership and collaboration are closely connected, and they both play an essential role in people’s lives. Students should also be leaders and team players in different settings. Collaborative leadership is one of the most appropriate leadership styles for a student. This style implies involving others and being accountable (Hansen 165). I believe I am a collaborative leader. When working on projects with my peers, I have often taken up the role of a leader. At that, I have never demanded strict obedience and compliance with the rules I created. I cherish collaboration as I believe it translates into really meaningful things.
Each participant’s input is valuable, and the plethora of ideas creates interesting and creative projects. For instance, my project featuring my friends is a product of my collaborative leadership (“OCD Part2 Med 5 3 Hongyi Ding”). My vision was enriched by the perspectives of my peers. Another project involved collaboration with one person only but it was also a collaborative work (“Waverly Hongyi”). We improvised and remained focused on the major idea.
Another important aspect of leadership is the attention to people’s feelings and behaviors (Archer and Cameron 65). I know that I should always mind people’s feelings and try to predict their behaviors. I had certain goals that I articulated. At the same time, I understood that these goals and especially the way to achieve them should comply with my peers (my team members’) values and needs. We had a lot of fun as we understood each other and did not make each other do something we were uncomfortable with.
The provision of manageable tasks is another crucial element of effective leadership and successful projects (Rubin 49). Everyone understands this simple truth. I have also shared this perspective. However, one of the tasks we completed made me feel and understand what manageable tasks mean. The pyramid we built made me see that a true leader always gives tasks a person can handle (“Pyramid”). When I was there at the first level of the pyramid, I thought none of those tiny girls were above could handle it. That was the moment I saw the importance of building sound grounds and giving tasks by people’s capacities.
Finally, leadership contains another important element. Creativity is an integral part of leadership. I believe I am a creative leader as I try to use creative ways to motivate people and encourage them. I believe creativity helps the leader to incorporate all those different perspectives into a single framework.
In conclusion, I would like to note that I believe I have quite sufficient leadership skills. I feel I am an effective leader as I understand people’s ideas and behaviors as well as their capacities. I use creative ways to inspire and motivate. Of course, I should learn more about various leadership styles, ways to employ them, and pitfalls to avoid. However, I believe I have a sound background for further accumulation of knowledge and skills.
Works Cited
Archer, David, and Alex Cameron. Collaborative Leadership: How to Succeed in an Interconnected World. Burlington: Routledge, 2009. Print.
Hansen, Morten. Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Build Common Ground, and Rap Big Results. Boston: Harvard Business Press, 2013. Print.
“OCD Part2 Med 5 3 Hongyi Ding.” n.d. Web.
“Pyramid.” n.d. Web.
Rubin, Hank. Collaborative Leadership: Developing Effective Partnerships for Communities and Schools. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, 2009. Print.
“Waverly Hongyi.” n.d.